


Its For the Best! (Interludes)

by U_Changed_My_Life



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:55:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25805494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/U_Changed_My_Life/pseuds/U_Changed_My_Life
Summary: Short fics about the Sugden-Dingles adjusting to their new normal. Its not always cheerful but always hopeful. Robert and Aaron are learning to make the best of their situation and they have a few little angels helping them along the way!
Relationships: Aaron Dingle & Liv Flaherty & Robert Sugden, Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Comments: 12
Kudos: 45





	1. Team Seb & Aunty Liv

**Author's Note:**

> The main fic, "Its for the Best" will build up slowly and it will be a while before Robron settle into a rhythm. But I was getting impatient about all these little moments that they can share together. Hence, these interludes. They are not time or chapter specific and sort of run parallel to the main story. You can read them together with the main fic or on their own. 
> 
> Trigger warning: YKW, Ross & Vic mentions. I have tried to humanize them but they are never going to come off great in my fics. So if you are a fan of them, this fic is not for you.

“Daddy! Daddy! Wait up! Wait up!!!” 

Aaron turned around and what he saw made his heart do something it had never done before. He had just passed the Emmerdale bus stop, lost in his thought about Robert as usual- making a mental list of everything he needed to cram in for their phone call this evening when he heard this tiny voice he knew too well. 

Three-and-a half-year-old Seb was racing toward him as fast as his legs could manage. His blond hair was all messy & floppy… it immediately reminded Aaron of Rob in the mornings when he would wake up all soft and needy and refuse to get out of bed until he got a cuddle from Aaron. These mornings, Aaron hugs Rob’s pillow out of habit and gives it a kiss sometimes. It feels silly at one level, but some days are really hard, and it makes him feel better. So as long as no one knows he is safe. 

Turned out Rob had developed a similar habit. He too had wanted to keep it a secret. But being Rob- the-guy-who-can’t-keep-any-secrets-from-his-husband-no-matter-what, it had slipped out during one of their many phone conversations. Rob had regretted it immediately. He shut his eyes and braced himself to be teased for at least a minute by Aaron. Instead, what he got was silence at the other end of the phone. “Maybe the connection was bad today and his husband hadn’t heard?!”, Robert thought to himself. Finally, Aaron spoke, softly, “it feels nice, doesn’t it? Your pillow still has your scent”. Rob’s heart broke at that very instant. All he wanted to do was to hug Aaron but he had to make do with hugging the telephone receiver. 

The old Rob would have wanted to be smug at that point and make a witty comeback, get one over Aaron. But Aaron’s Robert knew better, he was braver. Robert simply closed his eyes and embraced this pure moment of their love through the rusty telephone wires even though a part of him died for not being able to hug his husband at that instant. Rob even wrote about ‘his feelings’ to Aaron in his next email. That’s how Aaron knew. How times had changed! How they had changed!

If anyone knew how to make full use of the prison communication system, it was them two. Phone calls, emails, letters, pictures, family days, prison visits…all were used to the limit and there were still a few requests for ‘extra’ or ‘urgent’ visits pending. Business calls, legal consultations, family emergencies- everything needed to be communicated to Robert on an urgent basis. The warden had drawn the line when Aaron tried to pass off his infant sister’s new pooping routing as some family emergency that absolutely needed Robert’s input. He received a warning, not that Aaron cared…but he lay low for a few weeks letting Jimmy handle all the “urgent business correspondence”. Robert, from his side was also coming up with new and innovative ideas all the time. He made sure he was in everyone’s good books and could call in a favour whenever possible. He stayed out of trouble, which in Robert’s case was a huge deal. Robert had even participated in the prison audiobook programme where dads were encouraged to record bed-time stories for their kids. It was one of the more progressive initiative by their warden to help inmates bond with their kids. 

Of course, true to form, Rebecca and Ross had refused to give the audiobook to Seb because “they didn’t want to confuse and unsettle him from their ‘perfect’ life in Liverpool”. And Aaron was left completely bewildered when Victoria sided with Rebecca on this and said Seb deserved a ‘normal’ childhood without the shadow of his father’s deeds!!! 

Aaron had beat the crap out a car that day. He had barely been able to hold it together when an excited Rob asked him that evening about Seb’s reaction to his audiobook. Aaron’s silence said it all and Rob, even though his heart was shattered and voice was quivering, changed the subject immediately to happier subjects like his cafeteria’s stale sandwiches. Both soldiered on in that moment but Aaron made a mental note to give Vic a piece of his mind when the time was right. Rebecca and Ross’s reactions, he could understand. Ross had always been insecure about them two. He had tried to coax Seb into saying Daddy Ross. Seb had refused steadfastly pointing out his daddies were daddy Aaron and daddy Robert who lived at home in Emmerdale with Aunty Liv and that he was uncle Ross. When Ross persisted, Seb had given in and started calling him Ross. He wouldn’t concede any further. Thankfully, Rebecca put an end to Ross’s weird competition by saying that Daddy Robert, Daddy Aaron and Daddy Ross might fall into the category of “confusing things for Seb”, so that was that. Rebecca was sometimes surprisingly lucid for someone with such serious brain injury. Aaron had often wondered about that in private though he wouldn’t dare to say it aloud to anyone. 

In the end, it had been Aaron and Liv who enjoyed Robert’s audiobook, many times over. They would curl up together on the sofa with some hot chocolate, just like Robert used to make and listen to his soothing voice for hours. Once they even fell asleep on the couch. It was the best sleep they had both had in months! Robert’s voice echoing though the house felt like he was back with them and they were whole again. 

Both Liv and Aaron had grown up pretty much by themselves without much parenting. So, a part of them always craved being taken care of. And Robert loved taking care of his family! He always channeled Sarah, when he was in home-maker mode. It made him feel closer to his mum and satisfied his OCD and of course made Aaron, Liv and Seb extremely happy. Win-Win! “Storytime with Robert” reminded the Aaron and Liv of everything Robert used to do for them… most of the time quietly behind the scenes, all the while managing to run a business, plot revenge against errant villagers and look gorgeous! 

Then, their little bit of heaven was snatched from them in an instant! Aaron and Liv hadn’t just lost Robert to prison. They had lost their home, all over again and no one will be able to put that right for a very long time to come. It hurt to even acknowledge this to themselves. And Vic had the audacity to barge into the Mill one day when they were engrossed talking about Robert and advise them to “move on” because they both “didn’t deserve to be stuck in the past”!!!!!!!!!!! Wasn’t it enough that he had to cope with seeing Vic playing happy families with Wendy and Luke while his husband languished in prison?!!! Vic had taken to this “moving on business”, as Aaron called it”, like a fish to water. He resented her for it. But out of respect for his husband, he didn’t do anything drastic and just stayed out her way as much as possible. He wasn’t so sure about Liv, however. Aaron hoped his sister wouldn’t get into trouble yet again, but he knew he wouldn’t stop her if Liv came up with some brilliant plan to knock some sense into Vic.  
Anyway, Aaron was busy these days, desperately putting the funds together for a good lawyer and a private investigator to reopen Robert’s case. That took him to all corners of England which was a huge help when it came to staying out of trouble. Otherwise, he might have been tempted to say a thing or two to Vic ….one of his many speeches that Aaron had rehearsed in his mind- over and over again. Liv had taken up a few shifts at her College’s shop and drew sketches for her mates for a price, of course. She never said anything but every penny from her earnings went into her newly opened savings account. Aaron knew what it was for. It made him even more resolute and confident that Robert wouldn’t have to stay in prison a second longer than he absolutely needed to. It had also brought all of them closer than ever before. They were a family again…. heartbroken and scattered but still together as a family. It didn’t make any sense to an onlooker, but it made sense to them. Its what made them happy. 

Ouch!!! 

Aaron yelped in pain as Seb crashed into him. He had been so lost in his thoughts about Robert that it took him a hot second to realize that Seb hugging his knees and refusing to let go wasn’t a regular phenomenon. 

“Hiya mate! What are you doing here? Where’s Ross?” 

Ignoring the question totally, Seb stretched out his little arms, demanding to be picked up. Aaron obliged smiling to himself. Seb was just like daddy Robert. When he wanted something, he would simply go after it, ignoring everything else, even his own safety. In this moment, it seemed, he wanted Daddy Aaron. When Seb was in his arms, Aaron teared up. He put a pin in all those questions a good parent would ask their child and just took Seb in. He hugged his son, kissed him loads and tickled him that made Seb squeal with laughter….it was the best sound in the world!! Then he did this all over again!! 

Then, Liv appeared out of nowhere. 

“Hi Seb! How did you get here, you little porridge monster?”. Seb laughed like it was the best joke he had ever heard in his life and wriggled around in Aaron’s arms. Aaron looked at Liv, all confused and curious. And he knew what had happened the moment he looked at Liv who was smiling brightly. 

“Liv!!!!” Aaron groaned, all the while clinging on to Seb as if his life depended on it. 

“What?!” Live shrugged nonchalantly. “Rebecca needed someone to take care of Seb while Ross is away for an over-nighter. When Seb mentioned that his mum was looking for a baby-sitter for him, I offered. Its simple. Rebecca gets a night off after work, we get to hang out with Seb overnight and she is even paying by the hour! Trust me, Rebecca is much more reasonable when she doesn’t have Ross chewing her ear out!” And with that nugget of information, she walked off…. 

“Come on!! What are you waiting for? Christmas?!” Liv turned back and shouted. 

Aaron finally blinked as he tried to work out what had just happened. 

Seb gave him a kick, right in his rib-cage! “Cummon Daddy!!” 

Ouch! His little man was getting strong. 

“Yeah, mate! Let’s go! Are you hungry?” 

Seb nodded. 

That response brought Aaron back to reality and sent him into full on panic-mode. As much as it was nice to have Seb back in his arms after months of pleading with Rebecca and Ross, the Mill was no longer equipped to host a kid overnight. Aaron’s plan had been to order a pizza and pretty much veg out on the couch until it was time to call Rob. Preparing a healthy, nutritious meal for a three-year old wasn’t really on his radar and he wasn’t really sure if he had anything in the pantry that he could work with. And Robert?! What would Robert say. Do they tell him Seb is here with them? How will Seb react when he listens to Daddy Robert’s voice after all these months? What questions will he ask? Rebecca, Ross and Vic’s warnings ran through his mind and he froze with fear. 

Aaron wanted this badly for himself. He wanted Seb with him as much as he possibly could and wanted his husband to hear their son’s voice more than anything in the world. He knew it would mean the world to Robert. Aaron had been struggling to keep Robert’s morale up these last few weeks. All the stringent measures of multiple lockdowns, the warning from the warden and a new rule instructing inmates to stay in their cells (for their own protection) during the day had hit Robert hard. 14 years suddenly seemed very daunting, almost unachievable. Aaron was spending sleepless nights worrying about how Robert was coping and what he might do to himself if nothing changed. Unable to hold it in any longer, Aaron had shared his worries with Liv one evening. Normally, he didn’t like to bother Liv with everyday details. It was a roller-coaster of emotions each day and her sister had her own issues to deal with. For both of them siblings, they had to be mindful of how much was too much at any given point. 

“Daddy! Daddy! Aunty Liv” Seb kicked Aaron in the ribs again and pointed to Aunty Liv who was a slender silhouette now, walking towards their Mill. 

“Yes, Champ! Let’s go!” 

Aaron wouldn’t solve anything by standing there. Like everything else, he would have to figure this one out too. Plus, with Seb in his arms, he was too happy to be overly worried about anything. When you are fighting a long, dreary war and the whole world seems to be against you, you gotta take your wins and live for these moments of happiness. Worries and consequences will just have to come back another day. 

First things first, dinner will be chips, sautéed beans and carrots, chicken nuggets and chocolate ice-cream Aaron thought…. going all into daddy mode as he followed Liv back home with Seb in his arms. 

Taking care of Seb came instinctively to him. He never thought about it much or questioned it. Even Robert used to be in awe of Aaron. While his husband took the more, evidence-based- read-every-book-under-the-Sun- approach, Aaron went with his instincts and just did what “Seb told him he wanted” even when he was an infant!! In the past, when Seb was living with them, there were many occasions when Aaron completely ignored Robert and did what made their son happy! While a freaked out Robert would scour the web for possible signs of brain damage in a two-year old from hitting his head against a wall, Aaron and Seb would simply play peek-a-boo until Seb’s tears dried up and he was rolling on the floor with laughter. Then Aaron would walk over to his panic-stricken husband and calm him down with a kiss and a cuddle. And all will be good with the world again. 

Every family has their boundaries and red flags and so did the Sugden-Dingles. Anything was manageable until Aaron freaked out, Robert’s chin wobbled, Seb cried “daddy!” or Liv went quiet. Once this happened, all bets were off. The Sugden-Dingles would stop at nothing until balance was restored again. But Liv rolling her eyes in sarcasm, Seb crying because he had hurt himself, a freaked-out Robert and a grumpy Aaron were just signs of their average every day normal at the Mill. 

“This is hardly the time to reminisce!” Aaron chastised himself. He had to make the most of his time with Seb! 

Once back at the Mill, Aaron started making Seb's favourite strawberry milkshake while Liv kept her nephew entertained. 

“So, you talk to Rebecca and Seb often?” Aaron asked Liv, trying to sound casual. He still couldn’t believe that after everything that had happened, Liv had managed to pull this off! Seb, staying with them overnight!! Could this be a regular thing? He didn’t dare to dream. 

Liv first pretended not to hear but when Aaron persisted, she said with a shrug, “sometimes!” “Aunty Liv and Seb are a team, aren’t we Seb?!” Seb giggled and nodded vigorously in complete agreement. He even pumped his tiny right fist in the air and then high-fived his aunty Liv. Seb then took the milkshake and crackers from his Daddy Aaron and went back to his pillow fort to share his treat with giraffe, monkey and bear. It was as if he had known about this “Team Aunty Liv and Seb” all his life! 

“Team Aunty Liv and Seb eh?! How long has this been a thing?” Aaron asked his sister, unable to hide his curiosity and to be honest, worry. What else had these two been up to? 

Feeling Aaron’s rising panic, Liv assured him. “Not long. Aunty Liv and Seb talk on the phone sometimes when Seb is with his baby-sitter and his mummy & Ross are working!”, she said in high, cheerful tones that won her an approving nod from Seb. “That’s how Aunty Liv knew Ross was away and Mum was looking for a baby-sitter because Beth was interviewing for a job. We are a family, aren’t we?! And families keep in touch, no matter what!” 

“Yes!” Seb pumped his tiny fist in the air again, almost toppling his cup. As both Aaron and Liv instinctively reached to steady him, Seb beamed his biggest smile and went back to his conversation with his ol’ mates! He was home. There was no doubt about it. Aaron’s heart broke a little with this realization. To distract himself he stood up to fetch a beer while Liv fixed herself a bacon sarnie. 

Soon Seb was tired and nearly fell asleep on his pillow fort. Aaron scooped him up in his arms and took him upstairs. Even though Seb was big boy now, Daddy Aaron and Seb cuddled on the bed and Aaron soon fell asleep beside his son. 

As Liv was about to go upstairs after cleaning up a bit…yes she did that now, someone had to; she locked the front door and disconnected the doorbell and the home phone.  
She wasn’t sure if anyone had seen them coming home but the last thing they needed today was Vic or Diane barging in demanding explanations about Seb or Chas and Paddy wanting some time for Seb and Eve to bond. 

It was selfish, she knew. But life wasn’t being kind to them at the moment and they needed to be greedy with whatever little they could scavenge, simple as. Liv wasn’t going to lose sleep over it. She had secretly overheard those heartbreaking conversations between her brothers where both were trying to cheer each other up, especially over these last few weeks. Liv had been desperate to do something to make it better, anything at all. 

Then a small window had opened up when she was talking to Seb one day and she heard Rebecca yelling at someone in the background. She asked Seb and he told her what he knew but it wasn’t hard for Liv to piece the rest of it together. Next, as if on autopilot, she found herself asking Seb if she could speak to his Mum and thankfully, things had fallen in place. At one level, Liv hated having to get permission for Aaron to spend time with his son. But she knew she had to play by the rules or Aaron would lose out. Everything had to be above board. At least, this time she didn’t have to ask Ross’s permission. She would have really hated that. 

Liv had been “working on” Rebecca every time Ross was out of town…which was often these days for some reason. Slowly over the weeks, she had patiently listened to Rebecca’s worries, sometimes coherent, at other times not and tried to gently broach the topic of co-parenting, “without confusing things for Seb”. So, when Liv offered to baby-sit Seb and bring him back to the Mill, it wasn’t really out of the blue. It was simply the next step, “to try and see if this could work so that it would ease the tremendous pressure on Rebecca and Ross and bring Daddy Robert, Daddy Aaron and Aunty Liv back in Seb’s life”. 

Thankfully, Rebecca had never questioned Aaron’s place in Seb’s life and when Ross tried to, she shut him down. 

In all honesty, Ross and Rebecca had been feeling the pressure of having to look after Seb full-time, especially now that he was older and needed constant engagement. The lockdown had nearly driven them crazy! Day-cares were shut so Seb was literally with them full time. Financial pressure, uncertainty, anxiety over a pandemic and full-time care for a three-year-old was all proving to be too much for poor Rebecca. Ross tried to help but eventually, being cooped up in an apartment for weeks with a toddler who insisted on regaling him with tales of Daddy Robert and Daddy Aaron, and a girlfriend who broke down in tears every few hours due to anxiety was starting to get to him a bit. 

Ross’s intensions were honourable but he was beginning to question if this is what he had signed up for?! It had started to affect their relationship. When the lockdown eased up, Ross staking taking a few over-night jobs and increasingly Rebecca found herself at home, alone with Seb, at the mercy of the baby-sitter. During one of those days when Ross was away, Rebecca returned early from her walk and ‘caught’ Seb sneakily speaking with Aunty Liv on the home phone. While she was annoyed at first, a familiar compassionate voice soothed her and she ended up spilling her guts to Liv. And Liv, in turn, wasn’t entirely, unsympathetic. While she would never completely forgive Rebecca for what she did to her brothers or how she snatched away Seb from them, they were all in this together now and had to make the best of a bad situation. Plus, life had knocked Liv around enough to realize that she was better off building relationships than burning bridges, especially when it came to their weird, dysfunctional family. They couldn’t afford to lose any more. 

So, Liv had cautiously proposed looking after Seb a few nights a month and promised to not tell the young man anything about Daddy Robert being in jail. She steadfastly refused to give in to Rebecca’s initial request of Seb spending the night at Vic’s and not speaking to Daddy Robert or Daddy Aaron. “That wouldn’t make sense” Liv tried to reason with Rebecca. “Seb has not seen either of them in months and, he still won’t stop talking about them. Instead of dealing with all these questions, why don’t we try another way? Let him spend time at the place he knows as home, have his fun, speak with his Dads and then when he returns, you can focus on his life in Liverpool. This, cutting him off from everything he grew up with is not working and it is causing so much heartbreak to everyone.” 

As a last, ditch-effort Liv tried, “you have always said, Seb has two daddies and so many people who love him. So why take that away from him now just because he is living in another city? He is not interested in knowing everything that is going on in his Dads’ lives. He just wants to be with them. Why do you want to take that away from him and make life more difficult for yourself….more than it already is?!” 

That stuck. 

Rebecca was at her limit and she knew for a fact that Ross was too. Ross & Seb were all she had after everything. And she was in no mood to make her life more difficult for herself. Plus, part of her missed the Dales. The drama, that she often caused, kept things exciting. Life in Liverpool was mundane. And Rebecca didn’t do mundane, never for long at least. Having Seb back at the Mill would give her and Ross space to breathe and help her reconnect with what was going on in the Dales.  
Rebecca and Liv were never going to be best friends, but they had reached a sort of truce and in this moment, it seemed they could help each other out. Vic had been completely useless on that front, chewing Rebecca’s ear out about motherhood, some new bloke she had a tortured relationship with, and God knows what else! Rebecca nearly had a panic attack after that call with Vic. Never again! Nope, it wasn’t ideal, but Liv will have to do. And making Aaron happy and grateful always made her feel good too and, assuaged her guilt. 

Aaron’s mobile rang, piercing the tranquility that had descended over the Mill. Liv, who was lost in her thoughts, looking over her brother and nephew sleeping, was startled and quietly backed away into her room. Aaron leapt up and answered the phone, placing a reassuring hand on Seb’s chest, praying that the little guy didn’t wake up crying.  
An automated voice told him to hold for Robert. Damn it! How was it 6:30pm already?! Aaron sat up on the bed and Seb stirred a little as if starting to wake up. 

“Hello, husband” Robert greeted him in a low tone. 

“Hello, Daddy Robert”, Aaron said in a sleepy but cheerful voice, while he adoringly looked at Seb who was just about waking up. 

“DADDYYYYYYY!!!!” Seb squealed with joy as Aaron put the phone on speaker. 

“Seb?!! Is THAT YOU?!!” Robert couldn’t believe his ears. 

“Daddy! Daddy!” Seb nearly forgot to speak in his excitement. He strung together a few words telling Daddy Robert all about his day, some made sense, some didn’t but his dads didn’t care. Robert clung to the phone, tears in his eyes and put all his efforts into standing up straight because his knees were threatening to give up. 

“Daddy! Are you there? Daddy! Say something!” 

“Hey Champ! I am here. Just listening to you! You are a big boy now, aren’t you?!” Robert managed as tears streamed down his cheeks. Aaron heard his husband through the phone and he teared up as well. Thankfully, Seb was too excited to notice. Liv came in to the room too, unable to resist. 

The rest of the call was a blur. Everyone spoke at once and no one listened. They all laughed, cried and giggled at the same time. They talked about everything and nothing. 

Fifteen minutes went by so quickly! They couldn’t believe it. None of them wanted to hang up but eventually, time won and the line went silent. In that moment, they all felt a little empty and sad. Seb's chin was starting to wobble, just like his Dad's. 

Then Liv managed to save the day, yet again. “Who wants pancakes for tea?!!”  
Seb sprung up “me! Me!”. 

Liv invited Seb for a piggyback and they both disappeared down the stairs. Aaron looked on and smiled with tears running down his cheeks. He knew this is the happiest he will be in some time to come…this was the closet he would get to having his family back together at least for a few years. He hoped Robert would go to sleep tonight happy, after hearing his son's voice. He hoped this call had reignited his husband’s resolve to get through his sentence as quickly and as uneventfully as possible until it was time for him to come home. He hoped, it had reminded Robert that there was family out here, eagerly waiting for him to come home....that no matter where he was, he belonged with them. They were all in this together and nobody was going anywhere leaving him behind. 

Aaron’s phone rang again. This time it was his mum. 

“Yeah Mum. Oh Vic saw, did she? Yes, Seb’s here. You what?....Okay, let me check”

Aaron went downstairs and checked the doorbell while Liv and Seb messed about in the kitchen. He found the disconnected plug and smiled. He must remember to buy those sneakers Liv has been asking for next time he is in Hotten, Aaron thought to himself. 

“Yeah Mum, it seems the battery’s run out”. “No of course, come on over. We are having pancakes for tea”. 

THE END


	2. Their First Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron visits Robert in prison. He has a plan for their future. Robert is not so sure. They fight, stuff is said which can't be taken back. But maybe that's a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like Robron angst, not for long any way. So this is my take on one of the early Robron prison visits. As usual, it ignores canon.

Robert and Aaron were sitting across from each other at a tiny desk in the prison meeting area. Their elbows could well touch each other if they leaned in a little but at this stage, they were even avoiding eye contact. Both were stubbornly looking away. Aaron was shifting in his chair and lightly huffing, his eyes darting sideways as if he was impatiently surveying the room. Robert, on the other hand, had settled on bowing his head and fixing his eyes on the floor as if that sticky prison concrete floor was about to reveal all the secrets of the universe. It had been almost three minutes and neither had said a word. You could cut the tension with a knife. 

Them arguing wasn’t really unusual. They never pulled their punches with each other either. And saying hurtful things to each other in the heat of the moment didn’t make them love each other any less. In fact, they could do this only because they trusted each other completely and knew exactly what buttons to push when. They often had to be other people when they were with their relatives or outsiders, so to each other, they always craved to be themselves… Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle, unfiltered and raw- flaws and all. It’s how they had been from the very start. Robert and Aaron drove each other crazy- they loved each other completely, fought with each other, often violently, made love to each other passionately and defended each other valiantly….sometimes within the same hour. 

Except now they were on the clock. The visit was only an hour long today and they had just spent fifteen minutes of it arguing. 

Aaron wasn’t about to leave the island with an open wound that made him question every single thing in his life for the next 28 days, so he broke the silence. 

“So this is your final answer then? You won’t sign it?”, he said, refusing to let go of the issue.

Robert finally looked up from his new favourite sticky floor. He knew the floor wasn’t magical or anything but staring at that grey concrete floor for a few minutes was oddly calming. 

“Aaron, you know you can have anything you want. Everything I have is yours. But I really don’t think it’s a good idea. Can you at least think about what I am saying?” Robert said in a low conciliatory tone. He extended his left hand across the desk and brushed it softly against Aaron’s folded arms. It sparked a want in Aaron and he almost melted at Robert’s touch. He was ready to spring up from his seat and hug Robert tightly, pressing up against his husband. Almost. But he couldn’t give in to his desire now. Or should he? His dick and head were fighting a battle and his heart was stuck in the middle. 

“I have done nothing but!!!” Aaron exclaimed. “What do you think I have been doing during these months of lockdown?” 

“Exactly!” Robert interjected. 

Aaron was confused. “Exactly what?”

“Exactly. We have all been in lockdown all these months. And it was hard. Plus we haven’t seen each other in what seems like a year now. I mean, I don't want to count the last time you came to visit me, when you threw the divorce papers in my face and nearly punched me!!!" Robert said reliving the memory of his husband barreling down the corridor like a bull that had just been set loose on a red flag and then throwing sheets of paper at Robert's face. If it wasn't for the warden stepping in time, Robert was sure he would have gotten punched by his husband that day and Aaron would have been banned from the visits. Maybe that would have avoided the unpleasantness that they were sitting in now!

Trying to make his case, Robert continued, "...so, it is natural for you to want all this and think we can change the situation. But trust me Aaron. It’s a waste of time and money…. time and money that you could be spending building your and Liv’s future. I am not going to authorize this payment just so that you can go on some wild goose chase to rescue me from prison. I am going to be here on this Godforsaken island for a very long time and you better get used to the idea if you want us to be together. I don’t want you to spend the next 14 years going down rabbit holes of trying to get me out. What kind of a life is that going to be for you and Liv?!”

“So is this how it is going to work, is it?” Aaron questioned, looking Robert straight in the eye. His heart was breaking inside after Robert’s little reality check but he knew he had to be strong for the both of them. “I say we do something and you don’t agree, so we don’t do it! You decide…” Aaron paused for a couple of seconds, and then went there…. “when we talk, when we don’t, whether Seb lives with us or not, whether we go for surrogacy or not, even whether we stay married or not!”. 

The hurt in Robert’s eyes was instant. Aaron could see it. They both teared up a little. There was no going back from this. They will both just have to fight this duel and see what’s left standing once its over. 

“It wasn’t like that and you know it.” Robert managed, choking up a little. 

“Do I?” Aaron challenged. “Because it certainly didn’t feel that way when I was going out of my mind thinking maybe you never loved me!! I mean how can someone just write off their husband without any explanation for months….for months!!!!” They had talked about this so many times since, but a part of Aaron still wasn’t over it, so it came up, especially when he felt vulnerable. 

“Yes, it was a real easy for me you know! Being shipped overnight to a remote island, away from everything I know, being shut off in a tiny prison cell that I knew was going to be my home for the next 14 years, realizing that I will never get to touch you again, will probably never see Seb again and he will resent me for it, knowing that I wouldn’t be the husband to you that I wanted more than anything and that when I get out I will see someone else living their best life with you. Real easy!!! I couldn’t wait to get rid of you, Seb and my entire family! You see Aaron, that’s what I always wanted, a cushy prison life with stale food, open showers and creepy geriatrics leering at me all the time! I mean who wants a warm, tight hug from a loving husband when you can get raped by a bunch of perverts any day!!!” Robert snapped. And then he went back to inspecting his favourite bit of prison floor. 

Fear was now coursing through every fibre of Aaron’s body. He forgot everything else. 

“Robert! Robert! Look at me!” Robert wanted to be stubborn. But he gave in and finally looked up, though he didn’t maintain eye contact with his husband for long. 

“Are you okay? Promise me you are not hiding anything from me, are you? Please. We promised that we will always tell each other everything, no matter how hard or horrible. Rob, promise me….promise me, please!” Aaron was in tears now and close to hyper-ventilating. He couldn’t bear to think about his husband going through what he had to go through in prison. 

It was Robert’s turn to be concerned. He was up in a shot and by Aaron’s side, trying to calm him down. “Aaron! Aaron! I am okay! I promise! I am not hiding anything. I was just being dramatic. It’s like dealing with a bunch of Larrys! Irritating but nothing I cannot handle” Robert joked in an attempt to distract Aaron. He then quickly went back to his seat as he saw the warden approaching them. 

The warden had been understanding and friendly towards Robert. He was an honest, decent man with a young family back home and he empathized with Robert’s predicament, especially after he became familiar with Robert’s case. After that incident during their first visit, he had taken the time to talk with Robert and find out more. Since then he made life for Robert a little bit easier whenever he could, without breaking the law of course. Today, for example, he had ensured that Robert and Aaron could get a corner seat tucked away behind a beam which gave them a modicum of privacy. Also, he didn’t bother them much during the hour, choosing to survey other corners of the room instead. It was nothing and everything at the same time. Just imagine what they could have gotten away with, if they weren’t fighting of course! 

“You are lying! Hiding things from me like all those other times” Aaron wiped away his tears that refused to stop pouring out from his eyes. 

“No, I am not, Aaron. I am serious. I am telling the truth. Trust me. You asked me to stay out of trouble and I am doing that. I promise. I haven’t broken a single promise to you since we got back together. I have made mistakes Aaron and I know I have hurt you A LOT and this is all my fault, but I could never lie to you Aaron and I have never broken any of my promises to you! You HAVE TO believe me!!! Please say you believe me, Aaron, PLEASE!” It was Robert’s turn to beseech Aaron. 

Much to Robert’s relief, his husband relented. 

“Okay, I believe you.” “Then why won’t you sign the papers?” Aaron said, returning to their original argument. “I am not asking for the impossible or going on a wild goose chase, Robert and you know it. All I am saying is that we can hire a decent lawyer, just like you did for Liv. Then even if we don’t re-open your case immediately, we can look into transferring you to a prison closer to Emmerdale, getting your sentence reduced, applying for more visits etc. I agree with you that this could be for the long haul. So why give up now? Why not try to make life a little bit easier for all of us? Its not that crazy, is it? And I am even not asking for all our savings. Just a few thousand from our joint surrogacy account…I mean the money is just sitting there!!”

Robert liked the idea of being moved close to home. Even if he didn’t get to see Aaron every day, just knowing he was closer to the Mill would make a huge difference. He knew that. Plus Aaron wouldn’t have to haul ass every month spending a tiny fortune just to visit his husband for an hour or two. Over years, that would mean savings. Plus, Covid had shown that travel could be restricted any time and it meant being cut off from his family. Aaron's argument made sense, except….

“What?! What is it that you are not telling me Robert?” Aaron interrupted Robert’s thoughts. He could read his husband like a book. 

“Nothing” Robert said fidgeting in his chair, avoiding eye contact. “Nothing, its just that we don’t know this is possible. And I am just about getting adjusted here….and who knows what they new prison will be like….”

“Robert…..” Aaron warned. “Just spit it out, will you!!”

Robert looked up, straight into Aaron’s eyes this time. Those deep blue eyes always did something to Robert. Once they had a question in them, Robert ended up spilling his guts to Aaron as if he had ingested some truth serum. There was no escape now. Time to face his worst fears. 

“Its fourteen years, Aaron!” Robert began, trying his best not to let his voice crack as his heart thumped heavily with fear. “Fourteen years! That’s a very long time. Who knows what will happen during all this time? Are you sure you want to spend it with me, being a convict’s husband all this time?...running after lawyers, scheduling prison visits and trying to fit our marriage through a telephone wire?”

Robert paused before the next part….and then went there. 

“What if you find someone decent….someone like Alex or someone, with a job, a normal life and he offers you a chance at a normal life? Shouldn’t you take that? You deserve the world, Aaron! You deserve a shot at a happy life!! And I know you don’t feel that way now. But fourteen years is a long time Aaron. Who knows how you will feel in a few years when all this prison routine starts becoming a bit tedious, I am not around to help out at home like a husband should and our bed is cold? What happens then? You deserve love and comfort Aaron. I will understand if you move on. It is what you should do. I am here now, on this far away island and I have made my peace with it somehow. If we went through all this, I moved closer or had my sentence reduced. And then you moved away, I don’t think I could handle that. It’s the reason why I sent those divorce papers in the first place. I would rather not have you back than lose you again.” 

Robert was full on crying now. He had said this to Aaron once before and Aaron had refused to give up on him. But this time, he wasn’t so sure. One only got a few chances in life and Robert had a feeling that he had exhausted all his with Aaron. The fact that Aaron had refused to sign the divorce papers made him happy and flummoxed him at the same time. People didn’t forgive him. How could Aaron forgive Robert, so many times? Surely, there was an end of his patience? Robert just had to find it and push Aaron towards it. Then Aaron would leave him, just like everyone else did, and he can suffer in peace the life Robert had created for himself, its what he deserved. 

“So let me get this straight” Aaron interrupted Robert’s thoughts again. “You will not fight to make our lives easier now…which is your right and also your duty as my husband, because you are afraid I might leave you for someone else in an imaginary future?” 

Robert wanted to say “yes” but now looking at Aaron he didn’t dare. He just stared back into Aaron’s eyes through his tears. He sat there feeling very exposed. All his worst fears were out in the open now.

“This is what you have been doing, haven’t you? All these months that we were apart and I was going out of my mind thinking something was seriously wrong with you or you didn’t love me enough?!!! You were sitting in your cell, brooding, sending me away on imaginary dates with ‘boring, one-dimensional guys like Alex’…your words, not mine….then tearing them down because they were not good enough for me but good enough to torture you into thinking that I will eventually move on with someone like that?!!!!!!!!!!!" Aaron was seething!

Robert was stumped. He looked at Aaron in disbelief. His husband had just perfectly described Robert’s torturous past few months as plainly as if he was reading the brunch menu at Brenda’s café. 

Ah! What he would give for one of those over-priced sandwiches right now! 

Apparently, Aaron didn’t need a reply from Robert. Because he carried on. 

“You know, you are so worried about me moving on. How do I know that in a few years when you get settled into this prison life, you won’t get with one of the guards or an inmate….one of the wealthy ones here and set up a ‘marriage quarter’ inside the prison cell? It happens all the time. I mean you are the one who has the reputation of being a survivor!!” Aaron deadpanned. 

Robert flinched and his stomach threatened to throw up its contents. Taking deep breaths to contain his nausea he managed, “THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN! I love you Aaron. You are it for me. I have never cheated on you, you know that and I will never ever do that to you!! And I will kill myself or anyone else before that happens” He was agitated now. 

There was it again. Aaron’s ears perked up. 

“What’s with all this talk about rape and killing today? Is someone threatening you Robert? For heaven’s sake will you please tell me what’s going on?!!”

Robert relented. “Nothing…its nothing. There is this older guy, old but strong. He was trying to come on to me the other day in the shower and he wouldn’t give up, so I punched him. It earned me a couple of days in solitary but it was well worth it. While I was away, he tried to dig up my past. I mean everyone here knows I am married to you. So when him and his cronies went to find dirt on me, they just found out that I was on this murder charge trying to protect my sister, I have been linked to the death of Katie and the Whites though nothing was ever proven and I helped put Lachlan away. I mean I have my guilt but this revelation has given me a bit of reputation on the inside and I have to admit it hasn’t been bad. People think I am an educated, suave, silent, dangerous type so everyone keeps their distance. That shower incident has shaken me a little because it was a reminder that bad things happen in prison all the time but I am fine now. I promise Aaron, I am not hiding anything. You have to believe me!!” Robert pleaded. 

“Okay, I believe you. And no one thinks you are suave” Aaron teased with a hint of a smile. But then he became serious. 

The clock was ticking, and they were running out of time. 

“Robert, none of us can predict the future but we can’t let that stop us living our lives! Remember, ‘jinx, but we still said yes’…both of us did, together!! So why do you think I would want to move on? Honestly, it’s a little hurtful that mum, Paddy and now you all think that I will throw my marriage to you aside for something else! What is it exactly do you all think I am looking for? Love? A life with a man who loves me more than anything, being married to a man who knows me better than I know myself…..I have all that already? Don’t I?” Aaron said in a low, soft voice that struck a chord straightaway in Robert’s heart. 

“Or I thought I did….” Aaron began. 

“No! You do! You ABSOLUTELY do have that Aaron, I promise!” Robert jumped in before Aaron could go off in the wrong direction.

“Then stop with all this thinking. Please! You are it for me too Robert. I have always loved you Rob, I never stopped, and I never will. You know that right? And honestly, I am tired of us revisiting ‘whether we are married or not’ every time we hit a road bump! We are married. We had ceremonies….twice. We tried the not being married thing, we tried the best friend thing, we tried having an affair….nothing worked. So don’t you think its time we retired this conversation and focused on our married future this time? I mean I know mum and Paddy and them lot might still not get it but I hope you get it Rob. I really do. You are all that matters to me. Please tell me you understand?” Aaron looked into Robert’s eyes looking for reassurance. And Robert melted. His heart was warm and fuzzy again, just like it had been when they had proposed to each other at their lay-by. 

“Yes, I understand. Of course, I do. Sorry for being an idiot” Robert said with a shy smile. 

“Its okay, I am used to it! I married you twice and then refused to divorce you, remember?” Aaron teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief. 

“You are never going to let me forget that for as long as we live, are you?!” Robert was properly smiling now and he looked gorgeous! 

“Not a chance!” said Aaron, feeling his want stirring up again. 

“So unless you want me to stand in front of Bar West and charge customers for going out with me you better co-sign the payment so that we can get started.” Aaron said, trying to keep a straight face. Robert pretended to sulk but honestly, with his worst fears addressed, he was too happy to be able to wipe that smile off his face. “That’s not funny Mr. Sugden”, he still managed. 

“Well, Mr. Dingle, you were the one sending me away on imaginary dates all these months! And since you won’t sign the papers, I might as well make some money off these so called decent rich blokes for my husband’s lawyer’s fees!!” Aaron was laughing now, amused at his own joke and feeling quite proud of himself for having turned Robert’s arguments against him to get his own way! Aaron had been in lots of fights all his life. But winning an argument with your husband, especially when that husband was Robert fu*cking Sugden was special high! He was chuffed! 

“Okay, okay, you win alright!” Robert gave up. “Now please stop talking about other people”. He signed the papers hastily, only glancing over it once to make sure everything was in order. He then pushed the papers into Aaron’s hands and at the same time reached for Aaron’s thigh under the table. “You are mine, all mine and no one else’s” he said in a low voice. 

It was Aaron’s turn to be speechless. He had been ignoring his body’s signals all this time, but with Robert’s wandering hands on him, he was powerless. 

“Rob” Aaron croaked, looking at Robert with pure lust in his eyes. Now Robert was being smug. He knew very well the effect he was having on Aaron. His husband may have won the argument, but Robert wasn’t going to let Aaron leave without reminding him that Robert could make him feel things that no one else in the world could, ever! 

“Time’s up! If all the visitors can make their way to the exit area please, thank you!” The warden shouted in a well-rehearsed tone. However, he avoided walking over to Robert and Aaron’s beam, giving them precious few extra seconds. 

The husbands both closed their eyes in dismay, trying to control their emotions. The discussion they had today was very important for their relationship and it had made them stronger. But tell that to their semi- hard dicks that were begging for their lover’s touch, even a fleeting one. Both got up without saying a word and hugged tightly, feeling each other everywhere. They didn’t need to speak. The hug was everything. It had healing powers, Robert was convinced. 

“I will call you tonight.” Robert whispered in Aaron’s ears brushing his lips against his husband’s neck and biting his earlobes lightly. It made the situation down under worse for both. 

“You better” Aaron said, pulling away before things got out of hand and they got into trouble. The warden was being kind but it would be foolish to push the limits, especially when there was a family visit coming up in a few weeks’ time. “Also I am going to be on the island for a few days, see if I can get some contracts here to help pay for the visits. I forgot to tell you I actually have an appointment with the prison warehouse manager tomorrow about this. If we can get a contract here, even a short one, it will be mint!” 

Robert was now sad that they had missed talking about the day-to-day things. “Oh really?! Hope it goes well then!” 

“Yeah, and I am going to try and see if I can get another visit in a few days. When I was waiting outside, I heard a couple of people say that the Service had opened a few extra slots to make up for all the lost time during Covid. Apparently, some Red Cross review report is due and naturally everyone wants to come out looking good in those.” 

Robert perked up instantly. Another visit?! Brilliant. He was going to be on his best behaviour until then and make sure that he got this corner table. Now that Aaron had blasted through Robert’s deepest insecurities, in true Aaron style, Robert will ensure that their next visit was going to be all about reminding his husband that Robert still had a few tricks up his sleeve even when they are in a public place, sitting across a desk. This was a challenge and Robert Sugden never shied away from those! 

“Bye then” Aaron said, interrupting Robert’s thoughts for the umpteenth time. He was looking like a sad puppy and Robert instinctively draped himself over Aaron again giving him the tightest bear-hug he could manage. 

“Bye husband! Love you forever!”


	3. Aaron's Letter to Robert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron write a letter to Robert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another installment of a random snippet from Robron life. Inspired by real-life prison letters. As far as I could tell from my google searches, some of the facilities mentioned here in the fics do not exist on the Isle of Wight prisons. But they do in some of the other UK prisons. I want only the best for our Robert and these fics are meant to be uplifting, so I have taken a few creative liberties.

Robert was really irritated now. He stood there at the corner of his cell, arms folded, wearing his worst frown. Two constables beside Robert were eyeing him suspiciously but also looking at him with some admiration. The third one had his back to Robert and was turning his tiny cell upside down, God knows looking for what! The warden was also searching his room and tearing down all the pictures and inspecting the wall. Thankfully, he was civil and took care not to damage his pictures. Pretty sure Robert would have lost it if any of Aaron’s photos got creased. 

It had been an odd start to the day. Instead of receiving his mail, Robert was asked to go for a full body scan in one of those new machines that are also found in airports. In fact, they made him go through that machine twice just to be sure!! Then they asked him weird, oddly personal questions. And now, they were all back here frantically searching his room, destroying the careful arrangement of his precious belongings. Robert would have been livid if he wasn’t so confused. 

Prison life was far from ideal, but Robert had been lucky so far. When he arrived, he was one of the first occupants of the new modern wing in the prison. The cells were better here and so were the facilities. Plus, he was assigned one of the rare sole occupancy cells with a toilet and a basin. In prison terms this was The Four Seasons! Then after a few weeks, the more senior, old school, strict warden took an early retirement and the new warden with a progressive outlook took his place. The warden empathized with Robert and valued his capabilities. He encouraged Robert to work at the prison library and do the odd accounts. It wasn’t exactly rocket science, but it kept Robert occupied. And Robert got to nerd out on all the encyclopedias and old atlases to his heart's content. He had never had this kind of time outside. 

In the first few weeks Robert had been too heartbroken to do anything. He just sat on his bed with his wedding photo in hand and cried the whole day. The warden put him on suicide watch more than Robert would care to admit. He rarely ate and had to be hospitalized once briefly because he fainted in the cafeteria. Turned out he was standing in line to get food and then just staring at his tray the whole time. That was until one of the other old timers ‘helped out’ and ate all his food. Robert was very quiet and kept to himself as well. Even in prison mandated counselling sessions he said the bare minimum and couldn’t wait to get out. Basically, all he did and wanted to do was to sit with Aaron's photo and cry. 

Both the warden and other inmates had some idea about what he was going through. A man in his prime, his life snatched away from him, facing life in prison was rough, soul-destroying rough. Plus, everyone had heard about his request for no visitors or contact with the family, which they all found odd under the circumstances. 

Isle of Wight was a secluded prison mostly for people serving long sentences for serious crimes. It also housed some of the more senior inmates. The thing is, a criminal, no matter what heinous crime he/she has committed is still a person. People are often surprised when prisoners are calm, friendly, caring, capable and even charming. But the truth is, stripped off their crime for which they are paying their debt to society, convicts have a personality just like any other regular human being. So it wasn't really a surprise that, these elderly men, who knew exactly how it felt to stare down the barrel of a long prison sentence, wanted to help the young’un who was clearly struggling. True, a few of these men were creepy, eyeing up Robert as a piece of meat. But they were usually too scared or too weak to do any damage. Robert hated their gaze in the shower. He had to always switch his timings to throw these guys off his trail. It was like the universe was punishing him for Lawrence. 

This was the thing with Robert. He had all these ghosts and guilt (‘unnecessary guilt’ according to Aaron) in his head and in the quietness of his cell, they came to haunt him. So many nights, in those initial weeks, the constables had to open the door and warn Robert, because he would be on the floor in fetal position, hands covering his ears, crying out, “stop! Stop! Please make it stop!!...” 

Those weeks were hard and being in a cell all by himself wasn’t the best idea. But then if he had been sharing a cell, Robert knew he would have found a way to pick a fight and either get hurt or get sent into solitary. The old warden was too experienced for that. Hence, Robert got one of the best rooms in the ‘house’. The sentence that Robert had given himself, without a trial or jury, was a thousand times harsher than the one he received from Her Majesty’s government. And truth be told, that was the sentence Robert was actually serving. 

…. Until ….

One day he found himself waiting in the large meeting hall and suddenly saw an angry Aaron bolting down the corridor, some crumpled papers clutched in one hand and his other hand curled into a fist, ready to throw a punch. Robert didn’t have time to be confused. His instincts kicked in. The next few seconds are a blur and all he remembers is that he was immediately pulled by a constable and sent back to his cell. The rest is history. 

“Aaron!” Robert's frown immediately turned into a smile thinking about his Aaron. His husband Aaron who was determined to challenge Robert's sentence....not just the one handed down by Her Majesty's judge. The love of his life who refused to give up on him no matter what. The man who taught him what love was all about and forgave him when even Robert couldn’t forgive himself…….

....His Aaron, whose picture was now on the floor.......

From down there, his husband's photo was smiling back at him. Aaron's deep blue eyes were twinkling as if, he was about to share the world’s dirtiest joke with Robert! 

That did it. Robert had had enough. 

He stepped forward cautiously and approached the warden whose back was turned. 

“Listen, you have checked the room twice now. Will you please tell me what’s going on? I haven’t done anything wrong” Robert said while part of his mind wondered how many times in his life had he said this line. 

He was about to say something more, when the warden turned and without a word, handed Robert a letter. “This came for you today, Sugden. See you later”. Then they all left the cell, leaving Robert more confused than ever. Robert immediately looked down at the opened envelope, ignoring the mess around him. He instantly recognized the handwriting. Without any delay he took the paper out of the envelope and started reading the letter in earnest. And slowly, things started making a little more sense....

Clearly his husband was missing being with him. He was too, every minute of every day.  


Robert and Aaron had always been very close, not just emotionally, but physically as well. A hug, a stolen kiss, a pat on the back, sneaky foot-rubs and making out throughout the day, irrespective of whether they were at work or at home was the done thing. So being able to see each other only once or twice a month was exceptionally hard. But it was a million times better than not being together at all. The comfort and love they received from each other was unmatched. No one else came close.  


Any normal person would have written a romantic letter, even a slightly saucy one to communicate their feelings. But not Aaron. He didn't do romantic letters. So his bright idea was to fill the letter with scientific facts about the wonders of the human butt hole and its ability to stick things in it. He even included red flag words like escape for good measure!! His idea of hilarious apparently. No wonder the warden and the constables wanted to check him and his room before handing him the letter. They must have thought Robert was up to something dodgy! Robert had to find a way to get Aaron back for this!

***** The Letter***********

Hey You! 

How are things? 

Did you know that the human hole can stretch up to seven inches before taking any damage. A racoon can squeeze into holes as tiny as four inches. This means that you can almost fit two full size raccoons up there!!!! Wonder what else you can stick up there?! 

Don’t be shocked! I read!!! Had to wait to pick up Liv from her college last Wednesday. She made me wait for ages! I went into the library and it made me feel closer to you. Even went to the science section. Lots of interesting books there. I also got myself a membership of the local library here in Emmerdale. Sending you a picture of my brand-new library card! Don’t you dare laugh!!! 

Things are boring in Emmerdale though the weather is nice at the moment. We might even have a picnic next time Seb comes over. Like you, he loves his picnics! 

All people can talk about here is the lockdown and whether we will have another one in the winter. And I thought Brexit was boring! 

NO. This is not an invitation to fill your next letter with all sorts of boring details about UK economy. I can read about that in the papers. Did I tell you we still get your favourite business newspaper? Liv loves to read it. Helps her with college apparently. She is doing well there. Has made new friends. One of them came over with Liv the other day. She was odd. Kept asking me to bend down and lift up heavy stuff for her. And now my back hurts. 

Paddy has also started coming over every few days to read your newspaper. 

Looking forward to Seb visiting next weekend. Though I have to get a lot done before he arrives. He is growing up SO fast! The other day he made me sit down in his “class” and taught me how to write an 'A'. According to him, I have been writing it wrong this WHOLE TIME! I managed to ESCAPE! after five minutes telling him I had to make his favourite pancakes. But poor giraffe, monkey, bear and lion were not so lucky. They had to sit through the whole class. 

Also, I bought special locks for our bedroom drawers this week and I used your credit card for it. Seb is in this exploring phase at the moment and I didn’t realize how tall he has gotten. So when he came over the last time, I had to explain some of the contents of our Special Drawer. To make matters worse, Liv came in hearing all the commotion. I have never been more embarrassed in my life!!! Since getting all that stuff was your idea in the first-place husband dearest, it is only fair that you pay for the locks. By the way, I have added to our collection. Will tell you the next time I visit 😊

Gotto go now. I can see that oddball Clarke coming over. He has been such a pain in the hole these last few times. If we didn’t need his money…..  
Can’t wait to speak to you this evening. Miss you every day. I love you. 

XXX  
Husband 

**************************


End file.
